I know what you mean, Norma. I grew up in Montreal, and then lived in Toronto before moving to CT 10 years ago. I started to lose my taste for winter when I quit skiing and playing hockey in my early 20's, and my tolerance for winter has gone steadily downhill since then (and that was a looooong time ago). I tell people I moved here for the weather. But I never owned a snowblower until I moved here.

I was at the community garden today, and I don't know how much more I'm going to get from the tomato plants. The basil is pretty huge, and we'll process that once it gets a little colder. I think I'll use Bill's (I think) method of running it through the food processor with some EVOO and freezing it.

Barry

Barry,

I am glad that I am not the only one that doesnít like cold weather.

I used to be out building snowmen, sledding, ice skating and other things most of the day and never minded it one bit. Now I just shiver when I think of going out on a windy really cold day. I still have to walk the dogs, but do bundle-up. I also own a snowblower, but it broke down last year. I need to get it fixed before winter really sets in.

Yes, when it even gets a little cooler and the days grow shorter in sunlight, it seems like not a lot grows but grass. I also have a lot of basil I need to do something with soon.

It was nice here later this morning and afternoon. It really can't be seen well on this picture, but there were loads of bees, bugs and buttlerflies on these flowers right after lunch. The insects only were on the flowers that were directly in the sun. They are also getting ready for colder weather.

We're coming into spring down here in New Zealand, I've been raising seeds for a couple of months and this weekend I'm planting out the last of them into the glasshouse with one thing in mind... pizza of course. I'll take pix as I go, but here's the plan.

We're coming into spring down here in New Zealand, I've been raising seeds for a couple of months and this weekend I'm planting out the last of them into the glasshouse with one thing in mind... pizza of course. I'll take pix as I go, but here's the plan.

I always thought that you need to plant garlic in late fall and have it over-winter.

Barry

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Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Thanks Barry, I'm sure you're right. I'm all enthusiasm and little experience! I've grown plenty of tomatoes before, but not garlic. Saw the garlic the other week at the garden centre and grabbed it. They're in the soil now so I think I'll leave them there but perhaps lower my expectations about how well they'll do.

I've added orientation to the diagram. Unobstructed sun from North-East to about North-West, then the large tree you can see in the picture behind the glasshouse shades the last of the sun as it sets. It's the southern hemisphere so the sun heads East>North>West. The photo of inside the glasshouse shows you the shadows at about 10am, I reckon its getting about 6-7 hours of direct sunlight per day at the moment in early spring.

I've only just moved down here to Dunedin so I can't tell you first hand what the seasonal variation in temperature is. Wikipedia climate data below. As you can see, even in the height of summer the temperature is still quite low, hence I'm thankful to have the glasshouse.

Wow what an awesome glasshouse. If I loved in an area that needed the extra heat that would no doubt probably be one of the nicest ones around. Thankfully though we live in Alabama and the summer heat does more than enough for our veggies. Sometimes too much.

Well alright! You deserved that Norma, an I hope you didn't hurt Wildwood too bad. Save some of that fun party town for when I make it there.....

Bob,

Thanks, I did have a good time in Wildwood and Cape May, NJ, but I had wanted to weigh a Mack's pizza, which I don't think turned out okay. Darn!

Wildwood was going full speed today with an Irish festival, parade and also a car show of old hot rods. You would have liked the old hot rods. I am not sure what time the hot rod shop ended (and we didn't really see the show, or know where it was), but we saw a lot of old hot rods leaving Wildwood when we were going there and also when we returned to Wildwood from Cape May. They were cool!

Sounds like you had a great time, I just googled and found The 17th annual Boardwalk Classic Car Show. Looks great, right there on the Boardwalk too. Maybe I'll bring a car up there for the next one Norma. I definetly want to get up there before then though so I'm going to see when their next motorcycle event is....maybe one of these day's we'll share some Boardwalk pizza together, eh?

Sounds like you had a great time, I just googled and found The 17th annual Boardwalk Classic Car Show. Looks great, right there on the Boardwalk too. Maybe I'll bring a car up there for the next one Norma. I definetly want to get up there before then though so I'm going to see when their next motorcycle event is....maybe one of these day's we'll share some Boardwalk pizza together, eh?

Bob,

I am not sure when next years motorcycle rally is, but this was the one for this year. http://www.wildwoodsnj.com/calendar.cfm?mode=results&coe_id=1121 Wildwood has stuff going on all the time. There are also a lot of places that grows grapes for wine. There was an event we saw that was yesterday, but we didn't have time to stop there.

The little gardens I have been tending sure look scraggly now. The tomato plants are still producing tomatoes, but not as many. The peppers are still growing as are the basil, chives, oregano and spearmint tea. The pumpkin vine only produced one small white pumpkin.

I used the tomatoes I picked yesterday and the day before to make another batch of Lesís sweet sauce. The only tomatoes pictured are the ones I picked yesterday. The one heirloom tomato was big, so it helped in making Lesís sweet sauce. I used fennel seed again and also the Classico tomatoes for Lesís sweet sauce. The tomatoes and the one can of Classico tomatoes made two quarts of Lesís sweet sauce. I have upped the oven temperature in slow roasting the tomatoes, garlic, fennel seed, sea salt, olive oil, fresh basil and oregano. That method seems to be fine and didnít scorch the tomatoes or other ingredients.

I used a few small tomatoes to make a pasta salad.

I really dislike when the growing season is coming to an end. I still have to use the good basil to make some pesto. Maybe, that will be this weekend.